Year: 2011

What President Obama should have said regarding energy policy

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“I am afraid we have not been entirely open and honest about the situation in the past, but I want to make a change, and talk about the real energy situation, and start making plans for a lower-energy world. In the not too distant future–probably within the next 20 to 50 years, but perhaps as soon as the next 10 years, we will need to go back to using just the energy resources that we receive each day to sustain this world. This will require a very different type of society than we have today.”

The Libya conundrum – April 1

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– Immanuel Wallerstein: The Great Libyan Distraction
– Chomsky: On Libya and the Unfolding Crises
– Obama’s Libya Speech and the Tasks of Anti-Imperialists
– Libya is another case of selective vigilantism by the west
– Hugs From Libyans
– The shape of Libya’s ‘better future’ remains elusive
– Juan Cole: An Open Letter to the Left on Libya
– After unscripted Arab drama, the west sneaks back on set
– Intervention in Libya: Is It Really the Only Option?

Too much energy?

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Most discussions of energy and society assume without question that energy is subject to the “lottle” principle — if a little is good, a lot’ll be better, and there is no upper limit to the beneficial effect of increasing energy per capita. Maybe it’s time to take a second look at that widespread belief. Climbing aboard a train, the Archdruid gives it a shot.

Garden as if your life depended on it, because it will

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Tremors in food supply chains and pricing will make gardening look like a lot more than a hobby, a seasonal workout, a practical way to fill your pantry with your summer favorites, or a physically, spiritually and mentally healing activity, or all four. Gardening and small-scale and collective farming, especially of staple crops and the ones that could stave off malnutrition, could become as important as bringing home the bacon, both the piggy and the dollar kind.

The future of food (2 of 2)

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But the combination of high food prices, open markets and young populations is explosive, and has certainly been a large factor in the uprisings in both Tunisia and Egypt. The Arab countries import more than half their food. And it may be that this urban effect may be one of the reasons why food price volatility is no greater than in the ’70s and ’80s, but the impact seems much larger.

Fukushima Dai-ichi status and prognosis

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The disjointed news flow from Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco) continues to provide a confusing picture of the status of the 4 crippled nuclear power stations at Fukushima Dai-ichi on the East coast of Japan. This is leading to a very broad spectrum of opinion on the actual status and future consequences. The spectrum of opinion ranges from those who argue that Fukushima Dai-ichi is on course to become a Chernobyl scale incident or worse, to those who argue this is a storm in a teacup pointing out that reactors have been hit by a large earthquake, gigantic tsunami and survived with minimal casualties so far. So where does the truth lie?

Lindsay’s List

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The peak oil (and related climate change and economic crisis) movements are not just about preaching to the converted. They’re about reaching out to all people, however uninitiated, to build awareness for a larger cultural buy in on what’s necessary to change the way we live and do business. I created Lindsay’s List to focus on what role women have to play in conservation and a values-based lifestyle shift, one small step at a time.

New report picks apart George Monbiot’s support for nuclear power

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Today, environmental consultant and author Paul Mobbs has released a detailed analysis of George Monbiot’s claims regarding nuclear power. Published as part of his ‘ecolonomics’ newsletter series, it takes, point by point, Monbiot’s claims regarding the environment movements position on nuclear power, radiation and health, and the significance (above over kinds of human activity) of coal burning on carbon emissions.

“Attracting Native Pollinators” – the Xerces Society’s must-have handbook

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If you are responsible for and care for a backyard, school garden, park, farm, or reserve, this book is for you. If you are a fan of Douglas Tallamy’s Bringing Nature Home, or garden according to the permaculture principles espoused in Toby Hemenway’s Gaia’s Garden or H.C. Flores’ Food Not Lawns, this book is for you. If you garden for birds or wildlife, or are a landscape designer, this book is for you. And if you are interested in reconciliation ecology or are planning a perennial border, raingarden or bioswale this book is for you, as well.